Sue Hardman

Nourish + Rejuvenate

skin

Zinc for Skin, Hormones and Cravings

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Zinc is an essential trace element, that’s found and used by every cell throughout your body. Could this simple mineral deficiency be the cause of your health issue?

It’s estimated that around 20% of the world’s population, have sub-optimal zinc status. 

This nutrient isn’t usually in the spotlight, but your body’s performance wouldn’t be nearly as harmonious without it.

Why is Zinc So Important?

It is important for the functioning of over 300 enzymes and underlies the physiology of every body system.

Zinc is one of 16 essential minerals that you need to survive. you only need small amounts of it. Anytime a nutrient is considered ‘essential’ it means your body needs it to stay healthy, you can’t produce it and therefore you must get it from your food.  

We don’t hear as much about it as we do major minerals—like iron, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium—which your body uses in larger amounts. But your body relies on zinc for growth, maintenance, and numerous biological functions – skin health, immunity, growth hormones, and more, so it’s definitely worth keeping tabs on your intake.

Someone I know told me that when she addressed her zinc deficiency, within days, her energy and sleep returned to normal.

What are the signs that you might not be getting enough zinc?

  • A weak immune system (frequent and/or long colds), poor wound healing
  • GI issues – Diarrhea, low stomach acid production, gut wall barrier function
  • Hair loss
  • Hormonal imbalance (PMS, hypothyroid, low progesterone, infertility, low libido)
  • Fatigue or Brain fog
  • Changes in taste & smell
  • Slow growth in early years
  • Low mood, memory, concentration
  • Anxiety and depression 


Incredible Benefits of Zinc

Your body uses zinc in numerous ways, here are some of the key areas:

1. Significantly boosts your immune systemand helps to fight off viruses and bacteria. 

the link between gut and allergies

It’s essential for the normal development of your immune cells, zinc supplements can be used in SOS moments to reduce the duration of a cold. It also supports the function of the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) that protects your cells from oxidative damage caused by exposure to environmental toxins.

2. It can help your skinand plays a key role in cuts and scrapes healing properly —in fact, it’s involved with every stage of the process, tissue renewal to scar formation. If it takes a while for your cuts, scrapes, and burns to heal, you may want to take a look at your zinc intake. Acne sufferers – studies have found that certain forms of the mineral can soothe breakouts.  

3. Zinc may help keep your vision healthy as you age. Several studies have found that supplementing with zinc can help protect you against advanced age-related macular degeneration. This is a condition that can lead to vision loss, and it’s most common in those over 50. 

4. Zinc keeps your blood sugar stable and plays a role in the synthesis, storage, and release of insulin in your pancreas. So, a zinc deficiency could negatively affect your insulin levels, which can lead to negative changes in appetite and blood sugar levels. 

5. It keeps your digestion running smoothly. Zinc acts as a co-factor in a lot of gut activities  – like helping your body to properly digest food(stomach acid production), absorb nutrients and may improve your gut wall integrity.

You may mistake symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea for something like a gluten intolerance. Zinc deficiency is related to digestive problems like diarrhoeaand supplementation has been shown to reduce the duration of acute diarrhoea.

6. It could help reduce inflammation: Some researchers believe that low zinc levels are associated with systemic inflammation, a condition that’s linked with everything from heart disease to cancer. 

I have written before about how inflammation is increasingly thought to be a significant contributor to many chronic illnesses—from cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders and Type 2 diabetes—more so as we get older.

Chronic, low-grade inflammation is worsened by excessive fat around the middle, poor diet, lack of exercise – all the usual lifestyle factors.

Zinc is one of the body’s natural anti-inflammatories, however it is susceptible to malabsorption, particularly as we grow older, leading to deficiency. 

7. Zinc benefits both male and female hormonal health, you need sufficient levels of zinc for your body to create hormones. and to maintain proper hormone balance. 

Boosting fertility, as it plays an important role in increasing testosterone naturally, and is involved in the creation and release of eggs within and from the ovaries.

Research has found that zinc levels are directly associated with the following hormones, 

  • Testosterone 
  • Growth hormone
  • Thyroid hormones – T3 & T4
  • Oestrogen
  • Progesterone

 If your levels are too high or too low it can cause problems with menstruation, mood swings, early menopause, thyroid and infertility.
8. When you’re under stress, whether emotional (e.g. work) or physical (e.g. trauma, overtraining), you’re at risk of using up zinc more quickly than you’re able to replenish it, and become more vulnerable to infection, as well as other health issues, such as depression.

Zinc manufactures enzymes which are required for serotonin (the happy hormone) production and is also involved in the synthesis of a neurotransmitter called GABA that calms down your nervous responses.

In particular it reduces the activity of beta waves in your brain, this allows more analytical thinking. 
Studies have shown that zinc levels are low in patients who are anxious or depressed.

Zinc also ….

  • Helps to create DNA in every cell
  • Is essential during growth and development in babies and children.
  • Provides building blocks for enzymes needed in a healthy metabolism.
  • Supports protein synthesis.
  • Allows you to smell and taste. 
  • Can combat high blood pressure.
  • Boosts athletic performance through improved muscle repair.


Who may be at risk of a low zinc status:

  • Vegans and vegetarians are susceptible, as plant foods are less abundant in zinc than animal protein. Plants are often rich in a substance called phytic acid that inhibits the absorption of minerals.
  • Poor absorption – amongst those with digestive conditions (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease) and diarrhea.
  • Low stomach acid levels driven by ageing and stomach acid lowering medications, result in poor zinc absorption. The elderly, are most susceptible be the reason why they are at high risk of a zinc deficiency and immune issues.
  • High usage of zinc – due to high stress, or pregnancy, breastfeeding, high alcohol intake, and chronic use of other ‘zinc-depleting’ medications such as diuretics.

How Do You Increase Your Zinc Status?

Zinc is found in animal protein, especially red meat, turkey, oysters, and shrimp. 

Plant foods also provide zinc – pulses, legumes, nuts, and seeds i.e. cashews, pumpkin seeds, beans, lentils, quinoa and eggs. To improve the absorption of zinc from phytate-rich plant foods such as pulses, grains, nuts and seeds – soak, ferment, or sprout them, this will help to reduce the phytate content.

Support your ability to handle stress by practicing a daily relaxation technique, increase your intake of calming herbs, nutrients – like B Vitamins, magnesium, passiflora and L-theanine. Using calming essential oils – lavender, clary sage and bergamot.

Support your digestion and absorption – with mindful eating, probiotics and digestive enzyme supplementation.

Consider daily zinc supplementation, especially if you are vegan, vegetarian, pregnant, breastfeeding, and for children as well, and seek the advice of a professional for tailored advice according to your unique health needs. Zinc supplementation has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of clinical scenarios.

Improving your zinc status may well be the missing link to your path to optimum health.

Rose a woman’s healing herb – an essential in any healing toolkit

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Rose A Herbal Healer

The rose is steeped in legend and symbolism from Greek mythology, the Eastern traditions and also in Roman legends. Since those early days the rose has not only been appreciated for its beauty and perfume but also for its medicinal values.

One of the most sensuous and romantic of flowers – is used as a symbol of love in western cultures, of divine love in the church, as a food in the middle east and in skin and perfume preparations since Egyptian times.

In Ayurveda they say rose treats the heart, nerves, and lifts the spirits. It has an affinity for the blood and has a certain astringency that stops bleeding and reduces inflammation, so it’s very beneficial when there are signs of heat (in Ayurveda high Pitta in one’s constitution) – like a red tongue, agitation, hot flushes, lots of blood, irritability and emotional sensitivity.

Rose a herbal healer

The areas where I tend to find rose most beneficial, as a Naturopath and Herbalist, is for women who have issues with PMT, hormone imbalance or who  have periods that are painful, excessive or irregular, it is helpful with infertility and to increase sexual desire.

If there is an underlying anxiety, nervousness, sadness or grief the role of rose is nourishing on the nervous system. It has a calming effect on the emotions and the heart.

I would also recommend using Rose in the following situations:

– for fevers, rashes, infections, colds & flu
– as a tea to help clear heat & boost immunity
– for hyperacidity, diarrhea, excess phlegm
– rose water is an excellent cleanser used to soothe the skin
– to help with tissue repair with skin blemishes, acne, minor cuts and fine lines

How to use Rose

  • PMT or problems with your periods –  try drinking 2 -3 cups of Rose tea daily.
  • Feeling irritable or sad – add rose otto essential oil to your bath or rub it on your forehead or over your heart area. Drink the tea.
  • Red skin and acne – spray your face with Rose water after cleansing. The best toner ever!
  • Inflamed red eyes – spray rose water onto cotton pads and place over eyelids

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Your Beauty Products & Your Hormones

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Cleaning  Up Your Beauty Regime

I’m  pretty  choosy about my personal care products.


When I first learned about what was lurking in my products there wasn’t a whole lot of choice out there.

Fortunately, it’s becoming easier and easier to find products free of the ‘nasties’ that can contribute to many health issues.  

I sometimes make my own – I especially like make nourishing facial oils. 

Over the last few years there’s been an explosion in this space as more and more companies are creating cleaner lines in response to a growing interest in wellness and a greater scrutiny of questionable ingredients. 

 

Why skincare? 

Because our skin is our largest organ, and is also one of our 6 organs of detoxification. 

And because  sooooo … many of the chemicals that are used in products intended for the skin (think: lotions, shower products, make up, etc.) are made with chemicals that can negatively affect our health. 

 Do you know why the things that we put on our skin matters so much? I wanted to be sure that you have the knowledge to make healthier choices when you next choose what personal care products you’re going to buy. 

We’re often more concerned with what we put IN our body, than what we put ON our body but this month I wanted to talk about what you put on your skin whether it’s – shampoo, moisturiser,  deodorant or makeup.

Why,  you may ask?  

Many ingredients are known to be hormone disruptors and carcinogens. While manufacturers  may claim these ingredients are safe in small amounts.  The concern is that you’re exposed to so many toxins in our environment, we have no idea on the accumulative effect, so why add more fuel to the fire. 

Many of the ingredients in skin care products penetrate your skin and end up in your bloodstream.  

The EU has banned over 1000 cosmetic ingredients, but the FDA says safety for personal care products is the responsibility of the manufacturer. That’s not reassuring… So, it’s really up to you, the consumer, to become proactive. 

The average person is exposed to 126 unique chemicals in their personal care products alone, every day (US data). Now consider that your skin is your body’s largest organ, and is permeable to many synthetic chemicals that we come in contact with daily.  And studies have shown many of these chemicals do not break down, but simply accumulate in your body. 

And that makes sense since it’s very literally, and obviously going inside us and working its way through our body.  

When we consume things orally they enter our digestive tract, where they get absorbed, and then work their way over to the liver through the hepatic portal vein.  

Our liver is the workhorse of the metabolic process. This special organ is unique in that it has two separate blood supplies. One of these creates a closed loop; things enter the bloodstream, pass through the heart and make their way to the liver to be metabolised or broken down.  

After those things, harmful or otherwise, are filtered out and metabolised through the liver, the blood returns to circulation, and makes it’s way back to the heart, and the cycle continues.  

The second blood supply comes directly from the  digestive system.  

Things that we ingest hit the liver and get metabolised  before  making their way into the blood supply, which is a good thing.  

This is called First Pass Metabolism and it simply means that the liver gets a chance to metabolise the chemical, compound, nutrient, whatever it is, first.  

So what does this have to do with skin? 

Chemicals, compounds, etc, that enter the body through  absorption from the skin, and through inhalation actually  bypass this First Pass Metabolism. 

They move through the bloodstream before eventually making their way to the liver to be metabolised.  

So, even though the amount of chemicals we absorb can be significantly less than those we ingest, the fact that they bypass that initial metabolism can mean that those exposures can be more detrimental.  

This is why our skin care matters!  

While first pass metabolism might be technical, explaining this concept can help you see why shifting to safer skin care is so important.  

People are often feel conflicted about whether they should use up what they have, or toss everything and buy all new stuff.  

I say take it one step at a time! When something runs out, replace with a better, safer version.  

Skincare products (makeup, deodorant, cleansers, body wash and shampoos) are often full of chemicals, some which come with a known health risk.  

Parabens, for example, you may have noticed have been phased out of skin care products lately, with your favourite products now boasting they are “Now Paraben Free” – meaning that a lot of them, once upon a time, did include parabens.  

Parabens have been phased out  because they’ve been found to mimic oestrogen and are of concern for the formation of oestrogenic cancers, such as breast cancer. 

 

Because skincare is applied directly to the skin, a lot of it is absorbed into your bloodstream, so all of those unknown chemicals have a direct pathway to your liver.  

So, how do you reduce your toxin load and protect your skin from damage?

  • Firstly, I’d advise you to use things up before you buy a new product – no need to be wasteful.  
  • Educate yourself. Find out what chemicals you should be avoiding and why and it’ll make it easier for you to avoid them. 
  • Look up recipes to make your own products and give them a go! There are natural shampoo and conditioner solutions, cleansers, masks and even toothpaste you can try if you are keen.  
  • Choose products that have less chemicals it might take a bit of trial and error but it will be worth it in the long run. Your worth it (who says that again!!);  

Download the complete free guide “A Naturopath’s Clean Beauty Check List – 10 Ingredients To Avoid”  so that you can start to clean up your beauty for long term health.

 

A Naturopath’s Clean Beauty Guide